I have mixed feelings this time of year. My Facebook feed is full of amazing “hunting” poses that make me both sad and proud at the same time.
I felt this way as a child too. My parents hosted several hunters during deer season. There would be hunters sleeping on our floor most weekends and it was not unusual to hit your head on a deer hanging outside the front door when running to catch the school bus.
I didn’t like seeing the deer killed but I actually love the taste of venison. As my Dad would say, “Sandy, you can’t have it both ways.” As a former vegetarian, I can tell you they may have come up with veggie burgers that taste pretty good but nothing beats a venison roast.
I also understand that hunting is a tradition of sorts. You can pass the love of the hunt on from generation to generation and there is great pride in feeding your family from the beasts of the land.
My problem is that deer are just so darn cute! Those brown eyes. And they are sweet and shy as they tiptoe on our land for the corn we feed them in the winter. They are not demanding or bold. I have never had a deer tear into my garbage like the pesky raccoons or eat my chickens like the sneaky fox do. And the fawns! Seriously— can there be anything cuter than spotted baby deer playing in a field?
I admire people who love the great outdoors and want to help control the deer population so they don’t starve in the cold winter months. I just know that I personally could not pull the trigger. I would become “a deer in the headlights” so to speak. So what I am going to do is share with you some amazing recipes I found in an old venison cookbook. I have not actually made them with venison, as I don’t have access to any at this time. But these recipes are very good made with bison or beef. If you did hunt this season I hope you were successful and can enjoy a delicious venison dinner.
Peace, Sandy
And into the forest I go,
to lose my mind
and find my soul.
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Taste of Home columnist Sandy (Anderson) Holthaus lives on a farm in South Haven, MN with her husband, Michael, and their children Zoe, Jack and Ben. Her heart remains on the North Shore where she grew up with her parents, Art and LaVonne Anderson of Schroeder. She enjoys writing about her childhood and mixes memories with delicious helpings of home-style recipes.
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